AmpleHarvest.org Campaign Announces Android App for AmpleHarvest.org
Anyone with extra garden produce or store bought items is now able to donate to a local food pantry using their Android phone.
West Milford, NJ, April 14, 2011 --(PR.com)-- The AmpleHarvest.org(sm) Campaign announces the availability of the AmpleHarvest.org Android app. Like the previously released free AmpleHarvest.org iPhone app, it enables anyone wishing to donate excess garden produce or store bought items to a local food pantry (also called food shelf, cupboard, closet or bank in some parts of the country) to easily find one.
While more than 50 million Americans who are food insecure usually cannot get fresh produce at a food pantry, many of the 40+ million Americans who grow fruit, vegetables, herbs and nuts in their gardens find that they’ve grow more than they can use, preserve or give to friends. AmpleHarvest.org solves this dilemma by enabling these gardeners to deliver the excess produce directly to a local food pantry.
The AmpleHarvest.org Campaign was created in 2009 to help growers who wanted to share their bounty with the needy in their community but were unable to find a nearby food pantry. This excess food was often left to rot in the garden, composted or simply thrown away. Since its rollout, more than 3,500 food pantries (about 1 out of every 10 in America) spread across all fifty states have registered on the free site and more are signing up daily.
According to AmpleHarvest.org founder and CNN Hero Gary Oppenheimer, “The original thinking behind the AmpleHarvest.org Campaign was to create an organization that could prevent the loss of food that was usually left to rot in gardens by creating a solution that would enable growers to easily find a local food pantry eager for this bounty. The AmpleHarvest.org web site was created to accomplish this. However, when some food pantries started using AmpleHarvest.org to list store bought items they urgently needed, it became clear that they saw also saw it as a way to connect with the rest of the local community as well. Both the AmpleHarvest.org Android and iPhone apps help to make AmpleHarvest.org increasingly useful not only to gardeners living in suburban or rural areas but also to people living in urban settings.”
Using either the built in GPS or a user entered zip code, the app displays a Google map highlighting all of the AmpleHarvest.org registered food pantries in the area. Once a pantry is selected, it then displays detailed data including the contact and address information, days/times that the pantry can accept donations, as well as information about items the pantry most urgently needs. It can also connect the user with the pantry web site if one exists. Lastly, it also provides donors a convenient way to inform AmpleHarvest.org about the items or produce donated, should they wish to.
“While the food bank network does a great job of getting food stuffs to the nation’s food pantries, ” said Oppenheimer, “the pantries greatly appreciate all the community help they can get too, whether it is a shopper reaching into their back pocket or a gardener reaching into their backyard.”
In addition to helping prospective donors find a nearby food pantry, AmpleHarvest.org also provides both United Way 2-1-1 and National Hunger Hotline resources for individuals who have come seeking food assistance.
The AmpleHarvest Android app, available from the Android Marketplace or at www.AmpleHarvest.org/android was funded by a special contribution from the “Good People Fund” as well as services donated by “Stoneraven Media.”
AmpleHarvest.org, Inc. is a not-for-profit 501c3 charity which has received backing and support from the US Department of Agriculture, Google, Inc., National Gardening Association, the Garden Writers of America, Rotary International, National Council of Churches, Veterans of Foreign Wars and numerous faith groups. The AmpleHarvest.org Campaign works to diminish hunger in America by enabling gardeners to easily find a local food pantry eager to receive the excess garden bounty. For more information on the campaign, visit www.AmpleHarvest.org/press or call AMPLE-6-9880 (267-536-9880).
The Good People Fund (www.goodpeoplefund.org) is a New Jersey based non-profit organization which recognizes and helps support small, grass-roots organizations in their early stages of development.
StoneRaven Media (www.stoneraven.com) is a Colorado based website creation, search optimization and mobile application development firm that provides outsourced Online Marketing services to businesses of all sizes.
Follow AmpleHarvest.org at twitter.com/AmpleHarvest and at Facebook.com/AmpleHarvest.org.
###
While more than 50 million Americans who are food insecure usually cannot get fresh produce at a food pantry, many of the 40+ million Americans who grow fruit, vegetables, herbs and nuts in their gardens find that they’ve grow more than they can use, preserve or give to friends. AmpleHarvest.org solves this dilemma by enabling these gardeners to deliver the excess produce directly to a local food pantry.
The AmpleHarvest.org Campaign was created in 2009 to help growers who wanted to share their bounty with the needy in their community but were unable to find a nearby food pantry. This excess food was often left to rot in the garden, composted or simply thrown away. Since its rollout, more than 3,500 food pantries (about 1 out of every 10 in America) spread across all fifty states have registered on the free site and more are signing up daily.
According to AmpleHarvest.org founder and CNN Hero Gary Oppenheimer, “The original thinking behind the AmpleHarvest.org Campaign was to create an organization that could prevent the loss of food that was usually left to rot in gardens by creating a solution that would enable growers to easily find a local food pantry eager for this bounty. The AmpleHarvest.org web site was created to accomplish this. However, when some food pantries started using AmpleHarvest.org to list store bought items they urgently needed, it became clear that they saw also saw it as a way to connect with the rest of the local community as well. Both the AmpleHarvest.org Android and iPhone apps help to make AmpleHarvest.org increasingly useful not only to gardeners living in suburban or rural areas but also to people living in urban settings.”
Using either the built in GPS or a user entered zip code, the app displays a Google map highlighting all of the AmpleHarvest.org registered food pantries in the area. Once a pantry is selected, it then displays detailed data including the contact and address information, days/times that the pantry can accept donations, as well as information about items the pantry most urgently needs. It can also connect the user with the pantry web site if one exists. Lastly, it also provides donors a convenient way to inform AmpleHarvest.org about the items or produce donated, should they wish to.
“While the food bank network does a great job of getting food stuffs to the nation’s food pantries, ” said Oppenheimer, “the pantries greatly appreciate all the community help they can get too, whether it is a shopper reaching into their back pocket or a gardener reaching into their backyard.”
In addition to helping prospective donors find a nearby food pantry, AmpleHarvest.org also provides both United Way 2-1-1 and National Hunger Hotline resources for individuals who have come seeking food assistance.
The AmpleHarvest Android app, available from the Android Marketplace or at www.AmpleHarvest.org/android was funded by a special contribution from the “Good People Fund” as well as services donated by “Stoneraven Media.”
AmpleHarvest.org, Inc. is a not-for-profit 501c3 charity which has received backing and support from the US Department of Agriculture, Google, Inc., National Gardening Association, the Garden Writers of America, Rotary International, National Council of Churches, Veterans of Foreign Wars and numerous faith groups. The AmpleHarvest.org Campaign works to diminish hunger in America by enabling gardeners to easily find a local food pantry eager to receive the excess garden bounty. For more information on the campaign, visit www.AmpleHarvest.org/press or call AMPLE-6-9880 (267-536-9880).
The Good People Fund (www.goodpeoplefund.org) is a New Jersey based non-profit organization which recognizes and helps support small, grass-roots organizations in their early stages of development.
StoneRaven Media (www.stoneraven.com) is a Colorado based website creation, search optimization and mobile application development firm that provides outsourced Online Marketing services to businesses of all sizes.
Follow AmpleHarvest.org at twitter.com/AmpleHarvest and at Facebook.com/AmpleHarvest.org.
###
Contact
AmpleHarvest.org, Inc.
Lansie Sylvia
267-536-9880
www.AmpleHarvest.org/press
Lansie Sylvia
267-536-9880
www.AmpleHarvest.org/press
Contact
Categories